Folding mobile communication terminal

ABSTRACT

A folding mobile communication terminal is provided with a contact for charging and a protective cover that covers the contact. The protective cover is connected to a coil spring and is movable. When the communication terminal is installed on a battery charger, the protective cover is pushed up by a convex portion of the battery charger, exposes the contact and enables the connection of the contact and a terminal of the battery charger. When the communication terminal is detached from the battery charger, the protective cover is returned to a position in which the protective cover covers the contact by the resilience of the coil spring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal,particularly relates to a folding mobile communication terminal providedwith a contact for charging.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Prior Art

[0004] For example, a communication terminal such as a mobile telephoneis provided with a chargeable secondary cell and a contact for chargingfor connecting the secondary cell and an external battery charger. Thebattery charger the terminal of which is connected to the contactcharges the secondary cell. Normally, the contact for charging of thecommunication terminal is exposed to the outside surface of thecommunication terminal so that the contact for charging is easilyconnected to a terminal of the battery charger. Therefore, the surfaceof the contact is easily made dirty because of sweat of a user and thehumidity of outside air and when the communication terminal is used fora long term, the surface of the contact rusts. As a result, satisfactoryconnection between the contact and the terminal of the battery chargeris disabled. Particularly, as a folding mobile communication terminal isprovided with a relatively large contact for charging in the vicinity ofa hinge, the surface of the contact is easily deteriorated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A folding mobile communication terminal according to theinvention is provided with a contact for connecting an external powersource and a protective cover for covering the contact and theprotective cover can be moved to expose the contact. The protectivecover can be connected to an elastic member. For example, a coil springis used for the elastic member and can be attached to a hinge of theterminal. The coil spring can be arranged at both ends of the hinge.When the communication terminal is installed on a battery charger, thebattery charger pushes up the cover and can expose the contact. As aresult, the contact of the communication terminal can be connected to aterminal of the battery charger.

[0006] The battery charger of the communication terminal is providedwith the terminal for connecting to the contact of the folding mobilecommunication terminal, an installation part for installing thecommunication terminal and a convex portion formed in the vicinity ofthe installation part, and the convex portion pushes up the protectivecover of the communication terminal installed on the installation part.

[0007] As the contact of the folding mobile communication terminal iscovered with the protective cover except when the folding mobilecommunication terminal is charged, the surface of the contact can beprevented from being deteriorated. Besides, the battery charger caneasily connect the contact of the communication terminal and theterminal of the battery charger.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The above and other objects, features and advantages of thepresent invention will become apparent from the following detaileddescription when taken with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a foldingmobile communication terminal according to the invention in which aprotective cover and the body of the terminal are separated;

[0010]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the embodiment of the foldingmobile communication terminal according to the invention;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the embodiment of the foldingmobile communication terminal according to the invention;

[0012]FIG. 4a is a perspective view showing a coil spring and theprotective cover when the protective cover covers a contact and FIG. 4bis a sectional view showing the coil spring when the protective covercovers the contact;

[0013]FIG. 5a is a perspective view showing the coil spring and theprotective cover when the contact is exposed and FIG. 5b is a sectionalview showing the coil spring when the contact is exposed;

[0014]FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a concrete example of abattery charger;

[0015]FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the concrete example of thebattery charger;

[0016]FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the concrete example of thebattery charger on which the folding mobile communication terminal isinstalled; and

[0017]FIG. 9 is a side view showing the concrete example of the batterycharger on which the folding mobile communication terminal is installed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, an embodiment of a folding mobilecommunication terminal is provided with an upper body 1 a having adisplay, a lower body 1 b in which a secondary cell is installed, ahinge 2 that couples the two bodies so that they can be turned, acontact 5 provided in the vicinity of the hinge 2, a pair of coilsprings 6 connected to the hinge 2, an arm 4 connected to the coilspring 6 and a protective cover 3 connected to the arm 4. A shaft of thehinge 2 is inserted into the coil spring 6 and one end of the coilspring 6 is fixed to a predetermined position of the hinge 2. The arm 4is a part of the coil spring 6, is protruded from the body of thecommunication terminal and is connected to the protective cover 3.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, in an initial state, the arm 4 of the coilspring 6 is arranged in a position in which the protective cover 3covers the contact 5. As shown in FIG. 3, the protective cover 3 ispushed up when the communication terminal is installed on the batterycharger for example and the contact 5 is exposed. When the communicationterminal is detached from the battery charger, the arm 4 is turned bythe resilience of the coil spring 6 and the protective cover 3 isreturned to the initial position shown in FIG. 2 again.

[0020]FIGS. 4a and 4 b show the details of the coil spring 6. The coilspring 6 is attached to the hinge 2. One end of the coil spring 6functions as the arm 4 equivalent to a part B in FIG. 4b and the arm 4is connected to the protective cover 3. The other end equivalent to apart A in FIG. 4b of the coil spring 6 is fixed to the hinge 2 or thevicinity. FIGS. 5a and 5B show a state in which the protective cover 3is pushed up. The arm 4 and the coil spring 6 connected to theprotective cover 3 are turned and resilience is stored in the coilspring 6. In this embodiment, the arm 4 equivalent to the part B shownin FIG. 5b is adjusted so that the arm 4 can be turned from the initialposition to an angle of approximately 60 degrees. The cover 3 can bereturned to the initial position by the resilience of the coil spring 6.The coil spring 6 may be made of stainless steel for example.

[0021]FIGS. 6 and 7 show an example of a battery charger 7 of thefolding mobile communication terminal. The battery charger 7 is providedwith a power supply cable 10, a charging circuit 11 and a terminal 8connected to the contact 5. Further, the battery charger 7 is providedwith a communication terminal installation part and two convex portions9. These two convex portions 9 are formed in positions in which theymeet the protective cover 3 when the folding mobile communicationterminal is installed on the terminal installation part.

[0022]FIGS. 8 and 9 show the folding mobile communication terminalinstalled on the battery charger 7. The folding mobile communicationterminal is installed on the battery charger 7 in a state in which theupper body 1 a and the lower body 1 b are folded. At this time, theconvex portions 9 of the battery charger 7 meet the protective cover 3of the communication terminal and push up the protective cover 3.Afterward, the exposed contact 5 and the terminal 8 of the batterycharger 7 are connected and charging is made. When charging is finishedand the communication terminal is detached from the battery charger 7,the protective cover 3 is returned in the initial position by theresilience of the coil spring 6 and covers the contact 5.

[0023] In place of the coil spring 6, a plate spring or a bar springthat generates resilience by bending the spring can be used. At thistime, one end of the spring is connected to the protective cover 3 andthe other end is fixed to a predetermined position in the vicinity ofthe hinge 2.

[0024] While the present invention has been described in connection withcertain preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the subjectmatter encompassed by the present invention is not limited to thosespecific embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to include allalternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included withinthe spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A folding mobile communication terminal,comprising: a contact for charging; and a protective cover that coversthe contact, wherein: the protective cover can be moved to expose thecontact.
 2. A folding mobile communication terminal according to claim1, wherein: the protective cover is connected to an elastic member.
 3. Afolding mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein: theelastic member is installed in the vicinity of a hinge of the terminal.4. A folding mobile communication terminal according to claim 3,wherein: the elastic member is a coil spring.
 5. A folding mobilecommunication terminal according to claim 4, wherein: the coil spring isarranged at both ends of the hinge.
 6. A folding mobile communicationterminal according to claim 1, wherein: when the communication terminalis installed on a battery charger, the battery charger pushes up theprotective cover and exposes the contact.
 7. A folding mobilecommunication terminal according to claim 1, wherein: the contact isformed in the vicinity of a hinge of the folding mobile communicationterminal.
 8. A battery charger of a folding mobile communicationterminal, comprising: a terminal for connecting to a contact of thefolding mobile communication terminal; an installation part forinstalling the folding mobile communication terminal; and a convexportion formed in the vicinity of the installation part, wherein: theconvex portion pushes up a protective cover of the folding mobilecommunication terminal installed on the installation part.